《圣经护教学》第三十七课
归正护教学
——范泰尔的预设派护教学入门
主讲：林慈信牧师_校对：刘加立弟兄_文字： 凝香百合姐妹
《圣经护教学》第37课，我们一同祷告：天父，我们敬拜祢，因为祢是会向恶人倾倒祢的愤怒，但是祢又是施怜悯与恩典的神，求主在我们讨论这些有的时候感觉到好像很遥远，在大半个世纪以前，在北美洲发生了一些神学争辩的时候求主祢给我们选择性的提炼出一些懂得怎么敬畏祢这些的原则，帮助我们。奉耶稣基督的圣名求，阿们！
- 分辨过程
讲到普遍恩典，现在我们来到第三大段。第一大段是讲完了－福音的白白的邀请；第二段是丹的批判；第三段呢是分辨过程The process of differentiation，也就是说究竟范泰尔讲普遍恩典的时候，他讲上帝在人类历史中的作为是什么？
1、范泰尔：上帝在历史上总是增加忿怒，减少普遍恩典
The next step is understanding Van Til’s view of common grace当我们要了解范泰尔的普遍恩典观的下一步要做什么呢？is to observe the direction in which the process of differentiation is moving:是我们要观察到范泰尔认为上帝的分辨过程整个的方向，在朝着什么样的方向。
下面这段话也是《普遍恩典与福音》不是第83页的，All common grace is earlier grace.范泰尔说所有的普遍恩典都是比较早的恩典，Its commonness lies in its earliness.普遍恩典之所以是普遍，因为它是比较早。It pertains to all the dimensions of life but to all these dimensions ever decreasingly as the time of history goes on.普遍恩典是与人生的所有的层面有关，但是这个关系是一个历史时间的前进，这个关系是越来越薄弱的。At the very first stage of history there is much common grace.在人类历史开始的时候普遍恩典是很多的，here is a common good nature under the common favor of God.因为当时在神的普遍性的恩宠之下有普遍的良善的本性，But this creation-grace requires response但是这个创造恩典是要求有所回应的，It cannot remain what it is.它不可能与它本身这样继续存在的。It is conditional.这个创造恩典是带有条件的，Differentiation must set in and does set in.上帝的分辨必须要进来，而上帝的分辨的确进来了。It comes first in the form of a common rejection of God.首先什么是进来呢？就是人类普遍的整体地拒绝神，Yet common grace continues; 但是普遍恩典继续，it is on a “lower level” now;现在是比较低的一个层次，it is long-suffering that men may be led to repentance.普遍恩典是充满着忍耐，好叫人悔改。这里范泰尔很典型地是在讲到 罗2：4，Common grace will diminish still more in the further course of history.随着历史的前进普遍恩典又会更加地衰微的，With every conditional act the remaining significance of the conditional is reduced随着每一个带有条件性的行为，剩下的那一个有条件性的重要性又更小了。God allows men to follow the path of their self-chosen rejection of him more rapidly than ever toward the final consummation.上帝容许人越来越快地跟随他们自己所选择的拒绝神的道路，一直到万物的结束。God increases His attitude of wrath upon the reprobate as time goes on,随着时间的前进，上帝会加强祂对非选民的愤怒的态度。until at the end of time, at the great consummation of history, their condition has caught up with their state.直到时间的终结，在历史的终结的时候他们的状态，具体状态，与他们来到神面前的状态就合而为一了。范泰尔也说,对选民来说相反，就是上帝对选民越来越增加祂的恩宠，到了万物结束的时候就成为完全了。
2、弗兰姆的重译
下面弗兰姆把范泰尔刚才所讲的他重新地再讲一次，他说：To paraphrase：我意译一下，God’s favor to the non-elect diminishes over time, becoming non-existent at the final judgment.上帝对非选民的恩宠随着时间是越来越少，到了最后的审判就不存在了。This happens because, as history progresses, the non-elect become more and more hardened in their wickedness.为什么这样子呢？因为随着时间非选民在他们的邪恶是越来越刚硬的，They become more and more like the perfectly wretched souls in hell that they finally will be.他们越来越像他们将来在地狱里那种完全可怜的灵魂的状态，Each time they reject God’s revelation, they place themselves more decisively upon that path.每一次他们拒绝上帝启示的时候呢他们就更决定性地把自己放在这条好像灭亡的道路, Toward the end there will be an acceleration of apostasy.到了最后结局之前离经叛道是会加速的，越来越快的。
3、弗兰姆的批判
下面弗兰姆继续讲，It is scripturally true, as I indicated in my earlier citation from Isaiah 6 and its New Testament allusions, that some human decisions bring hardening.弗兰姆说：是的，有一些人所作出的决定致使人越来越刚硬的，这个原则是合乎《圣经》的，正如我前面引用过以赛亚书6章，还有其他的经文。There are downs and ups, as Van Til says, but that does take place.是的，时间的事情有起伏的，这个是真正发生的事。But I doubt if it can be established scripturally that throughout history there is an increase in wickedness and hence a gradual decline of divine favor to the reprobate.但是弗兰姆在这里批判范泰尔：
（一）弗兰姆说我想呢我们不能够用《圣经》来证明在历史上邪恶越来越增多，上帝对非选民的恩宠越来越减少，这一点大概不能证明出来。For one thing, God’s favor to the wicked, his common grace, exists in spite of their sin.首先虽然非选民是邪恶的，但是上帝的恩宠，上帝的普遍恩典还是存在的，It exists to some extent as a witness against上帝的普遍恩典从某一个角度来说是见证恶人的不是a witness against them.，So sin, in and of itself, does not diminish or extinguish common grace.因此罪本身并不使普遍恩典减少或者消灭，There is no reason to suppose that there is an inverse relationship between the amount of sin in the world and the amount of divine favor to the reprobate他说：我们不需要假设世界上有多少罪和有多少神的恩宠，对非选民的恩宠是反比例的，不需要这样子假设。if such things could even be quantified!.他说：这个罪和神的恩宠根本是大概不可能用数字来衡量的。
（二）Furthermore, it is questionable whether the world is becoming more and more wicked as the result of a divinely ordained “process of differentiation.”弗兰姆第二点的批判，他说：我怀疑我们可不可以说是因为上帝所定旨的分辨过程，世界上就越来越邪恶，That is, of course, the position of some traditional eschatological viewpoints,，是的，这是某一类的末世论的观点。but it is by no means generally accepted in Reformed theology.但是这个绝对不是改革宗神学一律地接受的立场。Apart from theological positions about the end times,我们暂时不讨论末世论，can we really say with confidence that there is more wickedness in the world today than, say, during the period of the fall of Rome?我们是真的可以很有信心地说：我们今天在世界上的邪恶比罗马帝国沉沦的时代更多呢？And are we sure that God is less gracious to the wicked today than he was then?我们是不是真的可以确定地说上帝对邪恶人的恩典比罗马帝国末端是更少呢？A case could be made for saying that God is more long-suffering in his dealings with the wicked today than he has ever been, and that he gives more good gifts than ever to those who hate him.我们可以这样来建构一个论调说上帝今天比以前对恶人更加地忍耐，祂也给更多的好处给恨恶祂的人。
（三）I do think Van Til is right to say现在弗兰姆又回来支持范泰尔的某些的论点，然后再批判。他说：范泰尔有一点是对的，that common grace is “earlier” in that it derives from a historical situation prior to the Final Judgment, ultimately from God’s good creation of Adam.普遍恩典是比较早的，什么意思呢？普遍恩典就是因为上帝良善地创造亚当的历史的事件，这个肯定是在最后的审判之前的一件事情，所以普遍恩典是来自比较前的历史的事件。At all points in history, it takes account of the unfinished nature of God’s plan.普遍恩典在历史的每一段都考虑到上帝的计划都还没有结束的，However, I do not see in Scripture any smooth historical continuum from the Fall to perdition.但是我在《圣经》里面找不到任何的证据说历史很顺地从堕落到灭亡是一个方向没有起伏的。Rather, as with the redemption of the elect, there seems to be a rich drama of ups and downs.正如上帝怎样的拯救选民一样，这个是一个充满着起伏的，是一个丰富的有戏剧性的过程。这一段是讲分辨，就是说上帝的恩典不是越来越多，也不是越来越少，历史是有很多的起伏，很多的转折的。
- 诺斯的批判
好，普遍恩典最后的第四段North’s Critique这位Gary North对范泰尔的批判。
1、诺斯：《普遍恩典》是范泰尔最差的一本书，且往往离题
The second book-length critique of Van Til’s doctrine of common grace is Gary North’s Dominion and Common Grace.第二本整整一本书批判范泰尔的普遍恩典观的是Gary North，《掌权与普遍恩典》。我在第二章（弗兰姆说）这本书的第二章说过North是把这本书是献给我的，特别讲了一句吊诡的话关于我的。我这里提一提，因为请各位会注意我对North的批判有没有任何偏见。这里弗兰姆又是有点幽默感的，North is one of the leading theonomist or Christian reconstructionist writers,是一位神律主义者（神律论）或者说基督教重建运动的作者，神律主义就是要把旧约的律法直接应用在美国今天的社会上。and, like others in that school, quite Van Tillian in his epistemology.而神律主义一般的他们的知识论都非常范泰尔主义的，Yet he regards Common Grace as “without question the worst book [Van Til] ever wrote.但是North认为《普遍恩典》这本小书毫无疑问地是范泰尔写得最烂的一本书，It is also one of the most confusing books he ever wrote,也是最混乱的一本书，granted the relative simplicity of the topic.”其实普遍启示这个题目很简单嘛。This confusion, North thinks, is partly for the stylistic reasons we noted in chapter 2.为什么混乱呢？North认为可能因为范泰尔写书的方法吧。Van Til’s Common Grace is，North说“cluttered up with extraneous material.”这本书堆集着各种离题的材料。The clutter, especially the preoccupation with epistemology and other philosophical issues, steers Van Til away from the main issue, which, in North’s view, is eschatology.堆集起来的不需要讲的话都是与知识论和其他哲学问题有关，这样子就是范泰尔离题了，而正题从North的角度来看是末世论。
2、诺斯否认上帝对非选民表达恩宠（Favor），那只是上帝赐予选民恩宠的满溢
North simply denies the first point of the Kalamazoo Synod, that God shows“favor” to the reprobate.直接了断地反对基督教改革宗在克拉密兹大会的第一点，就是上帝向非选民表达了恩宠“favor”，他不同意。North believes that God hates them throughout history, with perfect hatred, “without compromise or shadow of turning.”认为上帝对非选民在整个人类的历史中都是恨恶他们的，以一个完全的恨恶，没有妥协，没有变动的影儿，这样憎恨恶他们的。那关于其他的经文好像给我们另外一种印象又怎么对待呢？North说“Without exception, they refer to gifts of God to the unregenerate. They do not imply God’s favor.”毫无例外地这些的经文讲的是上帝给没有重生的人一些的礼物并不意味着神的恩宠，God gives them “favors,” not “favor.”上帝给他们礼物，但是没有恩宠。Why does he give favors to people he hates?为什么上帝对那些祂所恨恶的人会赐礼物呢？These favors are the overflow from the favors God gives to his own people, the “crumbs that fall from the master’s table that the dogs eat.” North说为什么上帝给祂所恨恶的人一些恩宠呢？这些是从祂所给选民的礼物的一些洋溢出来的，好像在主人的桌子上丢给狗吃一些的面包碎一样。Nevertheless, God has a distinct purpose in permitting this overflow:但是上帝给这些流出来的好处-礼物，是有一个特定的目的。“God gives ethical rebels enough rope to hang themselves for all eternity.”上帝给背叛祂的人有足够长的绳子让他们自己调转自己的颈项，直到永远。上帝给他们足够的理由让他们无可推诿。In this sense, even Satan receives common grace,从这个意义上来说，连撒但也领受了普遍恩典。a conclusion that is impossible on the traditional understanding.但是用我们传统的普遍恩典的观点来看，这个结论是不可能的。God gives to Satan gifts and powers that will in time lead to his more severe condemnation.上帝给撒但一些的礼物，一些的能力而至终使牠更严厉地被定罪的。Of course, for him there is no “free gospel offer.”当然对撒但没有上帝诚恳的福音的邀请的，
3、诺斯认为选民与非选民的区分是在历史终结时，教会在历史上越来越得胜
As for the process of differentiation,那关于历史上神的分辨过程呢？North cites the parable of the wheat and the tares引用了麦子跟稗子的比喻，to emphasize that the separation of saved and lost occurs at the end of history, not within it.很有趣的North说上帝的分辨，分辨出得救的跟丧失的人是在历史的终结的时候才分辨，不是在历史中间的。The course of history, he argues, is postmillennial, not amillennial,他认为历史的过程是后千禧年的，不是无千禧年的。而范泰尔是无千禧年派的。Therefore, the church will experience eventual victory through history,因此教会在历史中最后会经历到得胜的，rather than progressive defeat,而不是越来越失败。though the progress does not follow a “straight line.”不过这过程并不是一条直线就是了。North accuses Van Til of an implicit contradiction: North批判范泰尔他原则上好像有一些矛盾，as an amillennialist, he believes that the wicked will be victorious over the course in history, but how can they be victorious if the gifts of common grace are gradually withdrawn?范泰尔是一位无千禧年派的，但是他相信恶人在历史中会得胜，但是他们怎么可能得胜呢？假如普遍恩典的礼物是越来越少的呢？就是说他们哪里来那些聪明才干能力来在某些历史的时刻得胜呢？
4、诺斯：范泰尔过于专攻知识论，他应该专攻伦理学
North thinks Van Til’s discussion is centered too much on epistemology, North认为范泰尔的讨论过分地注重知识论，when the most important issues are ethical.但是最重要的是伦理上的问题；God gives unbelievers good gifts of knowledge,上帝给非信徒一些知识的美好的恩典或者恩赐，but they are ethically unable to make the best use of those gifts.但是因为他们心的缘故他们没有能力去善用神给他们的能力，That is why they will be defeated,就是因为这个原因他们最后失败。but in history as well.不单单在最后的审判，在历史中也是一样的。
5、福音广传的时候，上帝的律法越来越统治人类社会
More significantly, as the gospel goes through the earth, North继续说，更重要的是当福音传到全世界的时候，God’s law comes to rule society,上帝的律法开始掌管社会，and that brings benefits to believers and unbelievers alike.而当上帝的律法掌管社会就给信徒和非信徒都带来好处的。Unbelievers cannot make the best use of those benefits非信徒不可能用最好的方法来善用这些的好处，so they will in time be defeated,因此最后他们是会被打败的。after a brief final period of rebellion.就是当他们最后有短暂的背叛的一段之后他们就会被打败，But they enjoy its blessings for a time.但是有一段时期他们是享受这些的福份的。Indeed, those blessings increase as the gospel gains ground.而当福音越来越得胜的时候，这些的福份是越来越多的。Therefore, on North’s view, common grace is not earlier, but later grace – “future grace.”因此从North的角度来看，普遍恩典不是更早的，乃是更晚的恩典，是将来的恩典。这里可能各位是第一次听过这些后千禧年派的看法，就是福音广传，上帝的国度建立，上帝的律法会在人间的社会中生效，所以上帝的律法，上帝的主权会在人间显明，一直到最后上帝完全掌管整个宇宙，所以一个比较福音派，相信《圣经》的后千禧年派是很乐观地对传福音和天国的扩展是很乐观的。